Machine and method for forming wire units



1962 c. s. LIVERMYORE 3,0495154 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 if," INVENTOR.

' CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE 4/ 's ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE MACHINE AND 'ME'mon FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14, 1962 c. s. LIVERMCRE 3,049,154

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 3 qZJ l5| Fl G. 56;

FIG. 4.

S JL

INVENTOR. CHARLES STUART L|VERMORE Fl G. W

l/ ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 5.

I/ 5 ATTORNEY 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE 3,049,154

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 1a, 1958 17 Sheets-She et 5 FIG. 6.

INVENTOR.

CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE fi/ 5 ATTORNEY 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE 3,049,154

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. qo CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE qO BY 7( 2 FIG. I5.

' 5 ATTORNEY 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE 3,049,154

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE l ATTORNEY 17 Sheets-Sheet 8 Aug. 14, 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 FIG. 20.

1962 c. s. LIVERMORE 3,049,154

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE FIG. 22. BY W 4/3 ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE 3,049,154

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR.

CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE BY I Fae. 25.

ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE 3,049,154

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 11 5Q \58 I56 I60 I6! I57 I55 21*!(0 ii i 0 I\\4AL 7 .I\' "H O, U, 8O

INVENTOR. F CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE BY 4/ ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 12 FIG. 33.

CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE 4 1'5 ATTORNEY Aug. 1962 c. SJLIVERMORE MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 13 INVENTOR. CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE BY W W 4 U ATTORNEY 1952 c. s. LIVERMORE 3,049,154

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 14 ATTORNEY Aug. 1471 9 62 C. S. LIVERMORE MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 r45 i 4h 47 MOTOR PUMP 65 34 331 l 32 vs? LINE P J 1r PRESSURE MOTOR SWITCH MOTOR 2.84

2- zeq as? 286 275 2.8!

SOLONOID SOLONOID 274* 285'\.

INVENTOR. CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE BY F|G.44.

4 's ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 16 l -CLUTCH ENGAGES DOWN FIG. 45.

l I S ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1962 c. s. LIVERMORE 3,049,154

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR FORMING WIRE UNITS Filed April 18, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 17 ZIG 2l6 z|| ,Zlo

' Fl 52. hi G FIG-1.55. 2J0 lN-VENTOR.

CHARLES STUART LIVERMORE. BY 6N F|e.53. F|a.54.

4 s ATTORNEY United States Patent Fair Lawn, N.J., assignmto Inc., Brooklyn, NY, a corpora- This invention relates to machines for forming wire units such as spring stabilizers for mattresses and the like, and to the method for forming wire units.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide a machine and method for successively forming a plurality of wire units such as spring stabilizers for mattresses without interrupting the operation of the machine so that to a certain extent a plurality of successive units may be formed for a period of hours to a number of several hundred per hour.

More specifically the present invention aims to provide a machine and method for forming a wire stabilizer for mattresses consisting of six sides, two loops at opposite corners of the six-sided figure and the free ends of the unit twisted about one another to form a substantially endless six-sided unit.

With wire stabilizers for mattresses one of the difiiculties encountered has been to so preserve or protect the wire while being formed into stabilizers so that extraneous lateral tensions and strains may be reduced to a minimum and the wire throughout the stabilizer have a substantially uniform tension or strain throughout the same with a view to permitting the compression of the six-sided figure in a substantial plane and avoid or eliminate the lateral buckling of any part of the wire during such compression.

With the foregoing in mind the machine constituting the present invention aims (l) to exercise a uniform surface tension on the wire while the wire is initially being straightened after passing from a reel or spool of wire and to distribute such stresses and strains to the surface of the wire while being straightened so that the entire 360 surface of a cylindrical wire will have substantially the same pressures distributed throughout the peripheral surface of the same, (2) thereupon to have the feed rollers engage the wire so being straightened and have a uniform pulling or dravw'ng tension transmitted to it, (3) thereupon have the wire being processed engaged by a forming tool at successive intervals to form four oblique angles and two 474 angles or loops in the following succession: an oblique angle, a substantially 474 loop or angle, two successive oblique angles, a second sub stantially 474 loop or angle and a fourth oblique angle with straight wire sections between each two successive angles and two overlapping straight sections at the free ends thereof, the forming tool laterally deflecting or diverting the wire out of its path of movement as a straight section at each loop so that the loop portion of the wire being formed will extend parallel to the preceding straight section of the unit being formed, and (4) to out oh the six-sided figure so formed while on the fly so that the next straight section or first straight section of the succeeding six-sided figure will start being advanced or fed While the end of the preceding or just completed sixsided figure is being severed. In the forming of the sixsided figure outlined in the third step aforesaid, the unit being formed is diverted slightly to one side and swings down and up into completed position while being diverted laterally relative to the vertical. Simultaneously, with this deflection the wire during the course of forming the unit is directed so that the final free end portion will be disposed adjacent to and above the initial free straight end portion.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a machine and method whereby a succession of wire such as border stabilizers of mattresses may be formed in a succession of steps characterized by the following steps (:1) straightening, (2) feeding, (3) forming, (4) cutting, (5) twisting the ends of the successive units to form endless units, and 6) stacking.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a drive mechanism for the wire being fed by feed rollers which drive mechanism is actuated by frictional contact with the wire being fed and which drive mechanism in turn controls the various processing operations on the wire so that a predetermined uniform succession of process steps on the wire maybe achieved.

It is still another object of the present invention during the formation of the unit to exercise traction pressure merely on one side of the wire which will be the outer surface of the wire in the final unit and to effect a greater traction pressure on the outer face of the wire at the oblique angles than at the loop or substantially 474 angles whereby at the oblique angles during compression in the use of these units the inner surfaces of the wires will be resilient and the outer surfaces of the Wire will be strengthened without danger of cracking. In turn due to the lesser traction pressure on the wire loop, the outer surfaces adjacent the oblique loops will be less resilient than the outer surfaces adjacent the loops.

These and other features, capabilities, :and advantages of the present invention will appear from the subjoined detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the machine.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a fragmental longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the machine viewed from the front or feed end.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmental transverse section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmental transverse section taken on the line '66 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 shows in plan one of the edge stabilizers produced by the machine.

FIGS. -8 to 15 inclusive are successive views of positions of a unit in the process of formation, FIG. 9 showing the formation of the first oblique angle, FIG. 10 showing the formation of the first loop or 474 angle, FIGS. 11 and 12 showing the formation of the second and third oblique angles, FIG. 13 showing the formation of the second loop or 474 angle, FIG. 14 showing the formation of the fourth oblique angle and'FIG. 15 showing the severance at the completion of the forma-' tion of a unit.

FIG. 16 and 17 are fragmentary enlarged views of the straightener shown at the right hand end of FIG. 1.

FIG. 18 is a fragmental mechanism.

FIG. 19 is a longitudinal section of the feed mechanism on the line 19'19 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a transverse section on the line 20-40 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a longitudinal section of the feed mechanism on the line 21-21 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 22 is a longitudinal section of the feed mechanism on the line 22-22 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 23 is an enlarged fragmental view of the forming die and support on the line 23-43 of FIG. 2..

FIG. 24 is a fragmental section on the line 2424 of FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a transverse section on the line 25-25 of FIG. 23.

FIG. 26 is an enlarged detail of the forming die.

plan view of the main feed FIG. 32 is a side elevation in enlarged fragmental detail showing a part of the mechanism for transferring the units, after severing and before twisting, to the twisting mechanism.

FIG. 33 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 32.

FIG. 34 is an enlarged fragmental detail in plan of a part of the twisting mechanism.

FIG. 35 is an enlarged fragmental detail in end elevation of the part of the twisting mechanism shown in FIG. 34.

FIG. 36 is an enlarged fragmental section on the line 6-6 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 37 is an enlarged fragmental section of the mechanism shown in FIG. 34 with the wings open to permit the last formed unit to be advanced.

FIG. 38 is a diagrammatic view of the cams and conduits for controlling the pistons of the forming, cutting and twisting mechanisms and the solenoids for the stack delivery.

FIGS. 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43 are side elevations of the cams shown in FIG. 38.

FIG. 44 is a wire diagram for controlling the control parts of the mechanism diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 38.

FIG. 45 is a diagram showing the successive movements in relation to one another during a single cycle.

FIG. 46 is a section taken on the line 4646 of FIG. 32.

FIG. 47 is a front view of one of the jaws shown in FIG. 46.

FIG. 48 is a side view of the jaw shown in FIG. 47.

FIG. 49 is a front view of the other jaw shown in FIG. 46.

FIG. 50 is a side view of the jaw shown in FIG. 49.

FIG. 51 is a front view of one of the cams shown in FIG. 46.

FIG. 52 is a front view of the other cam shown in FIG. 46. 51FIG. 53 is a section taken on the line 5353 of FIG. FIG. 54 is a section taken on the line 54-54 of FIG. 52.

FIG. 55 is an enlarged side view of the latch shown in FIG. 51.

FIG. 56 is a section on the line 5656 of FIG. 7.

The machine is primarily directed to forming wire units such as border stabilizers for mattresses consisting .of a section of wire formed into six sides with the ends interlocking and loops formed by two diametrically opposed corners or angles. In the formation of such wire units a wire 1 conventionally wound upon a spool is fed through the mouth 2 of a rotor 3 having a straightening mechanism 4 operatively connected thereto from which the wire passes to the feeding mechanism 5 consisting essentially of three feed rollers 6, 7 and 8 and a driven roller 9. The driven roller 9 in turn is operatively connected to actuate a timing mechanism 10, see FIG. 38. From the feed mechanism 5 the wire is advanced to the forming mechanism 11. From the forming mechanism 11 'the wire or unit formed is passed to the cutting mechanism 12 and from the cutting mechanism 12 by means of' the transfer mechanism 13, the unit is transferred to the twisting mechanism 14 and from the twisting mech nism 14 .the wire units are transferred to the stacker mechanism 15.

To facilitate an understanding of the mechanism, the several mechanisms will be described in the following order, to wit:

Straightener and Rotor Straightener and rotor Feeding mechanism Timing mechanism Forming mechanism Cutting mechanism Transfer mechanism Twisting mechanism Stacker mechanism duit constitutes the shaft of the pulley 16 which shaft is journalled in the support 17 of the frame, which support in turn is connected by the base plate 18 to the rear upright 19 in which is journalled the tubular shaft 20 in alinement with the tubular shaft 2 and through which the wire 1 passes on to the feeding mechanism 5. Between the uprights 17 and 19 is mounted the rotor frame 21 fixed to the tubular shafts 2 and 20. In the rotor frame, see FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 16 and 17 are mounted the bars 22, the axes of which are parallel to one another, see FIGS. 16 and 17. Transversely of these bars 21 there are journalled the shafts 23 on which are rotatably mounted the pulleys 24. The bars 22 and therewith the shafts 23 are so mounted in the frame 21 that the axes of the pulleys 24 are inclined to one another at about 30. The grooves in the pulleys 24 are wider than the diameter of the wire, about three times the diameter of the wire, so that if as is the case in the present instance, when the wire 1 is about 0.0915 inch in diameter, the width of the groove of the pulley 24 is about .28 inch in diameter. Furthermore, when the shafts 23 of the pulleys 24 are disposed at an angle of about 30 to one another, then with the diameter of a wire as aforesaid as compared to the width of a groove of the pulley 24 when the wire 1 passes from the shaft 2 to the shaft 20 it will be in a substantially straight line, see FIG. 16, but relative to the peripheries of the pulleys 24, see FIG. 17,

the wire will assume a waved shape sufiicient to straighten the wire according to convention.

In order to drive the rotor 21 and therewith the pulleys 24 around the wire 1 to effect the straightening of the wire 1, the pulley 16 mounted on the shaft 2 is connected by the belt 25 to the pulley 26 on the shaft 27 of the motor 28.

pressure required on the delivery side of the pump 38 to actuate the pressure sensitive unit 36 of the switch 32 will be about 800 to 1000 pounds per square inch. In other words from a period of rest, the switch 39 adapted to connect the wires 40, 41 and 42 of the motor 43 to the wires 44, 45 and 46 respectively connected to the loops 33, 34 and 35 of the supply will be closed and then due to the connection of the shaft 47 of the motor 43 to the pump 38 when the pressure in the pump 38 rises to the predetermined amount required, the pressure will be transmitted through the conduit 37 to the pressure actuator 36 to close the switch 32- and initiate the actuation of the motor 28 of the rotor 3. From the tubular shaft 20 the wire 1 will pass to the drive rollers 6 and 7, see FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 18, 19, v

Feeding .Mcch anism The drive rollers 6 and 7 are fixed to the shafts 49 and 50 respectively, see FIGS. 18, 19, 21 and 22. On the shaft 49 is fixed the gear 51 which meshes with the idler 52 which in turn meshes with the pinion 53 on the main shaft 54 which has freely rotatable thereon the gear 55 which has fixed to it the clutch face 56 adapted to be engaged by the clutch face 57 on the main shaft 54. The main shaft 54 is connected by a flexible coupling 58 to the shaft 59 of the speed reducer 60 having the shaft 61 on which is mounted the pulley 62 which is drivingly connected by the belt 63 to the pulley 64 on the shaft 65 of the motor 66. 'With the feed rollers 6 and 7 the feed roller 8 will also be driven, that is the feed roller 8 in the same direction as the feed roller 7, the feed roller 8 being fixed on the shaft 70. On the shaft '70 there is fixed the gear 71 which is in mesh with the gear 72 mounted on the main drive shaft 54. The gear 72 on the shaft 54 meshes with the gear 73 on the shaft 50 on which the feed roller 7 is fixedly mounted. In view of the foregoing from the drive shaft 54 through the gears 72 and 73 the feed roller 7 will be positively actuated and simultaneously the feed roller 8 through the meshing of the gears 72 and 71 will be positively actuated and in turn the feed roller 6 on the shaft 49 will be positively actuated by the meshing of the idler 52 with the gear 53 on the main shaft 54 and the gear 51 on the shaft 49. The driven roller 9 on the shaft 75 is driven by contact with the wire 1. This driven roller 9 through the shaft 75 in turn actuates the mechanisms provided to form and stack the wire units such as the unit 76 illustrated in FIG. 7.

Timing Mechanism On the shaft 75 there is fixed the pinion 77 in mesh with the idler 78 which meshes with the gear 79 fixed on the shaft 80. The shaft 80 has mounted thereon a plurality of cams such as the cams 81, '82, 83, 84, S5, 86 and 87, the earns 81 to 85 being illustrated in FIG. 38 and the cams 86 and 87 being shown in FIG. 18. To facilitate an understanding of these several cams, see FIG. 4, it may be noted that the cam 87 initially actuates the movable clutch portion 57 on the shaft 54 and simultaneously also laterally displaces the cutter shaft 88. Simultaneously with the actuation of the clutch face 57 the lower cutting jaw 89 will be actuated under the control of cam 83 to cut the wire as indicated in FIG. 15. Tnereupon still under the control of cam 83, the lower cutting jaw 89 will be opened.

Before the lower cutting jaw will be opened for the first bend 90 in the unit 76 the forming tool 91 will be actuated downwardly under the control of the cam 81 which forming tool 91 will immediately rise into neutral position to permit the wire 1 to be advanced a straight section 92. Also immediately that the clutch portion 57 is actuated when it will engage the clutch face section 56, the pinion 55 rotatably mounted on the shaft 54- will be rotated with the shaft 54 since the clutch portion 57 while slidably mounted on the shaft 54 is fixed to rotate with the same. Due to the then rotation of the pinion 55 which engages the rack 93, it will advance the carriage 94 which supports the cutting mechanism 12. After the preceding unit has been cut and until the transfer mechanism '13 (FIGS. 32 and 33) has picked up the unit and delivered it to the twisting mechanism 14, (FIGS. 34 and 35) and simultaneously trips the latch 98 by engagement of the abutment 99 on the carriage 94, with the free end 100 of the latch 98, when the latch 98 is tripped it will cause the grippers 101 and 102, FIG. 35, to close upon the free ends of the unit 76. This actuation of the grippers 101 and 102 see FIG. 45 is effected immediately before the twisting mechanism 14 is operated, The twisting mechanism is controlled by the cam 82.

After the free ends of the unit have been twisted by the twisting mechanism 14, it is then dropped into the stacker mechanism 15, FIG. 36, Where the wings 103 and 104 will capture the unit being dropped. Before a succeeding unit is dropped, the actuation of the wings 103 and 104 will be initiated by the cam 85 to be swung into the position shown in FIG. 36 when the pushers 105 and 106 will be actuated, to advance a preceding unit out of alinement with the wings 103 and 104 to enable the wings 103 and 104 again to close and receive a succeeding unit. The pushers 105 and 106 are operated under the control of the cam 84.

The Forming M eclzanism The forming mechanism 11 consists essentially of a forming tool 91, see FIGS. 24-27 inclusive having a head 169 with two inclined wire engaging faces 109 and 111 which head is formed on the stern 112 which extends through the enlarged portion 113 of the piston or reciprocating bar 114 vertically mounted in the hydraulic cylinder 115. In order to lower the piston 1 14 fluid under pressure is, see FIG. 38, passed through the conduit 116 to the upper surface of the piston head 117. The conduit 116 is connected to the four-way valve 118 which is actuated to permit the pressure to pass from the pump 38 through the conduits 121), 121 and 122. The valve 118 is under the control of the stem 123 having a follower 124 at its free end urged into engagement with the cam 31 by the spring 125. In turn when it is desired to raise the piston 114 pressure is caused to pass into the cylinder against the lower face of the piston head 117 via the conduit 126 from the valve 118 which is now in communication with the conduits 122, 121 and to the pump 38. The follower .124, see FIG. 39, will rest on one of the depressions 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, and 132 that is in extended position, and in turn when the follower 124 successively engages the high spots 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 and 138, it will permit the pressure to pass to the upper face of the piston head 117 coinciding with the retracted position of the follower 124. In the neutral position of the follower 124 that is between the successive low and high spots on the cam 81, passage of pressure through the valve 118 will be shut off. Starting from the neutral position 139 on the cam 81 after the actuation shaft 80 has been initiated, the forming tool 91 Will be maintained in raised position clear of the path of movement of the wire '1. When the follower 124 is actuated by the raised portion 133 it will cause the piston 114 to descend until its lower end 140 engages the stop 141. In this position the inclined face 111 will enter the path of movement of the wire 1 and deflect it downwardly to for man oblique angle such as illustrated in FIG. 9. Immediately that the angle is formed the follower will drop into the depression 127 and cause le piston v114 to rise and clear the path of movement of the wire 1. Thereupon the follower 124 will rise to the neutral portion 142 of the cam 81 in order to enable the wire 1 to be fed forwardly in a straight line clear of the faces 110 and 111 to form a second straight section 92. Thereupon the follower will engage the raised portion 134 of the cam 81 and again cause the piston 114 to descend. At this time, however, the cam 86 in cooperation with the roller 143 will actuate the arm 144 on the shaft 145 which will in turn actuate the arm 146 connected by the spring 147 to the frame portion 148. The am 146, see FIGS. 5 and 23, will then be actuated across the upper end of the stop 149. Thereupon when the follower 124 engages the raised portion 134 it will cause the piston 114 to come down not on the stop 141 but on the arm 146 disposed above the stop 149. After being engaged by the raised portion 134 the follower 124 will then engage the neutral portion 150 of the cam and now permit, see FIG. 10, the formation of the looped angle 151, that is the face 111 of the forming tool 91 will enter the path of movement of the wire 1 and deflect the same until the loop 

